Traveling from Colfax to Federal Way covers 276.1 miles across the state of Washington. You should budget approximately 5 hours and 38 minutes of drive time, making this a manageable journey to complete in a single day. The route primarily relies on WA 26, I-90, and State Route 18 to bridge the distance. With a projected fuel cost of $58, it is an efficient way to cross the region. Since the entire trip stays within the Pacific Coast state of Washington, you will experience a consistent transition from the inland areas toward the coast. Planning for one scheduled stop will help you maintain your energy levels throughout the drive.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
138.1 miles from Colfax, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 58m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
WA 26
129.3 mi
2h 44m
I 90
112.3 mi
2h 2m
State Route 18
24.2 mi
31m
Colfax Airport Road
3 mi
4m
South Peasley Canyon Road
1.8 mi
3m
South 320th Street
1.4 mi
3m
West Fairview Street
0.6 mi
1m
South Main Street
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
WA 26
— 129.3 mi, about 2h 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colfax, WA and Federal Way, WA.
1
Start on this road
98 ft·9 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto WA 272
138 ft·12 sec·East Canyon Street
3
Turn left onto US 195
0.4 mi·1 min·South Main Street
4
Continue on South Main Street
0.2 mi·24 sec·South Main Street
5
Turn right onto West Fairview Street
0.6 mi·1 min·West Fairview Street
6
Continue on West Almota Road
0.2 mi·30 sec·West Almota Road
7
Turn right onto Colfax Airport Road
3.0 mi·4 min·Colfax Airport Road
8
Turn left onto WA 26
129 mi·2 hr 44 min·WA 26
9
Continue on this road
0.7 mi·1 min·this road
Toward I 90 West: Seattle
10
Merge onto I 90
112 mi·2 hr 2 min·I 90
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·30 sec
Exit 25Toward WA 18 West: AuburnUse the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
448 ft·13 sec
Toward SR 18 west, Snoqualmie Parkway: Auburn, TacomaUse the straight / left / right lanes.
13
Merge onto WA 18
0.3 mi·25 sec·Snoqualmie Parkway
14
Continue on WA 18
24 mi·31 min·State Route 18
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·19 sec
Toward WA 167: Renton, PuyallupUse the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·26 sec
Toward WA 167 South: Puyallup, West Valley HighwayUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·24 sec
Toward West Valley HighwayUse the straight / right lanes.
18
At end of road, turn left onto West Valley Highway North
0.1 mi·20 sec·West Valley Highway North
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn right onto South Peasley Canyon Road
0.7 mi·1 min·South Peasley Canyon Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Enter roundabout onto South Peasley Canyon Road
67 ft·1 sec·South Peasley Canyon Road
21
Continue on South Peasley Canyon Road
1.0 mi·1 min·South Peasley Canyon Road
Use the left lane.
22
Continue on South 320th Street
1.4 mi·3 min·South 320th Street
23
Turn right onto WA 99
0.5 mi·55 sec·Pacific Highway South
24
Turn right onto South 312th Street
158 ft·5 sec·South 312th Street
Use the right lane.
25
Turn right
24 ft·1 sec
26
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
To keep your drive comfortable, aim to depart early in the morning to avoid midday congestion on the busier highway sections. Since the trip takes nearly six hours, plan for at least one substantial break to stretch your legs and refresh your focus. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge when navigating the longer stretches, as WA 26 offers fewer service options than the I-90 corridor. Because this is a single-day trip, your primary advantage is flexibility; you can easily adjust your pace to accommodate road conditions or traffic. A concrete tip for this route is to monitor your speed closely when transitioning from the open stretches of WA 26 to the heavier traffic patterns near Federal Way.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 138.1 miles from Colfax, WA, or about 2h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 129.3 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 61 miles or 1h 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 138.1 miles or 2h 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Federal Way, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Colfax, WA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Colfax, WA
This is one driving day of about 276.1 miles and 5h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Colfax, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on WA 26 for about 129.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 246.8 and 272.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
246.8 mi into trip|~4h 57m in
Take the exit toward WA 18 West: Auburn
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 25
Toward WA 18 West: Auburn
9
247 mi into trip|~4h 57m in
Keep slight left at fork toward SR 18 west, Snoqualmie Parkway: Auburn, Tacoma
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Toward SR 18 west, Snoqualmie Parkway: Auburn,...
7
271.6 mi into trip|~5h 29m in
Take the exit toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup
9
271.8 mi into trip|~5h 29m in
Keep slight left at fork toward WA 167 South: Puyallup, West Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 167 South: Puyallup, West Valley High...
8
272.1 mi into trip|~5h 30m in
Keep slight left at fork toward West Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward West Valley Highway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$57.79 one way
$115.57 round trip
$5.32/gal25.4 MPG avg97 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.58
$60.60
$121.20
premium
$5.77
$62.70
$125.40
diesel
$5.61
$60.96
$121.92
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$58
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$83–$108
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 96.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
82.8
1
$28.99
$13.25
Efficient EV
69
0
$24.16
$11.04
EV Truck/SUV
110.4
1
$38.65
$17.67
Gas CO2
97 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Colfax, WA
Evening
in Colfax on Saturday
Local time
7:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Federal Way, WA
Evening
in Federal Way on Saturday
Local time
7:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 38m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Seattle flourished during and after the Klondike Gold Rush. Merchants supplied people from around the world passing through this port city on their way to a remarkable adventure in the Yukon Territory...
19 mi from route
~48 min detour
Free
near mile 276.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This highway-focused drive keeps you on major thoroughfares for 96% of the trip, ensuring a steady pace. You will tackle a significant 129.3-mile stretch on WA 26, which serves as the longest uninterrupted portion of your journey. Expect the road personality to shift as you move from the initial highway segments onto the busier interstate sections. The mix of open stretches and transition roads like State Route 18 keeps the driving experience varied. By staying on these primary routes, you can count on predictable conditions for the vast majority of your 276.1-mile trek.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 129.3 mi on WA 26.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WA 26 and I 90. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 246.8 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 276.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 246.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 247 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 271.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Colfax, WA and Federal Way, WA, road signs point toward Snoqualmie Parkway: Auburn and Tacoma.
Snoqualmie Parkway: Auburn
247 mi in|~4h 57m
Tacoma
247 mi in|~4h 57m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 38m. Total distance: 276.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 129.3 miles on WA 26. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Federal Way, WA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 246.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 247 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 271.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.6 hours each way, a round trip means 11.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Federal Way, WA before the return drive.
